


Arcadia

by SilverButterfly111



Category: Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of The Brave Tangled Dragons - Fandom, Rise of the Guardians (2012), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Astrid is a supportive friend, Fluff and Angst, Hiccup is a sweet boy, Jack is a sweet boy, M/M, Seasonal Spirits and Guardians, Slow Burn, at least by my standards, meaning they aren't together at the start of the fic, she just doesn't like the cold
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 22:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21916717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverButterfly111/pseuds/SilverButterfly111
Summary: The boy made his way toward the shore where the Snow Queen waited. She took his shoulder. Her other hand painting a crescent moon on his forehead in indigo ink."I name you Jokul Frost, heir to the throne of the Winter Court, Child of the Moon and Wind."And then the Snow Queen turned into flakes of white and was carried away by the wind.The spirit with snow-white hair stood alone at the edge of the lake and Hiccup could see him shrink into himself with the weight of everyone's eyes upon him.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Astrid Hofferson, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	Arcadia

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Toffyy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toffyy/gifts).



The small black dragon. Dives off the cliffside sending dust and shale into the crashing waves below. For a moment he falls himself before obsidian bat-like wings snapped open to catch the updraft of wind that whistles a constant song on the rocks. He rises up, up and up. The tendons of his wings pulled taunt against the pushing gust of wind that threatens to throw him against the sheer drop that he's just leapt from. There was a time when he was young and he would have balked at being pulled back toward the rocks but now he churrs at the wind as if they're playing a game and waits unflinching for the wind to pull him past the cliff and into the open sky. Silently laughing at death because he his braver in this form and all of his people know it. Where he flying alone he would have been lost in the clouds long before anyone could see him and simply just enjoyed the endlessness that is the sea and the sky slowly turning from pink and yellow to a darker shade of its usual blue.

He turns eyes the color of summer leaves toward the fading colors of the sunset with a longing that makes his heart twinge. It is like watching an old friend walk away. He knows he cannot follow the warm that makes everything grow and warms his scales when he is a dragon and his face when he's a man.

He turns away from the cliffs of his island and away from the temptation of chasing the sun a savoring it's warmth. Shaking his head to set responsibility inside of it before Astrid can smack him with her spiked tail that stings a thousand times worse than any porcupine quills.

The blue-and-yellow Nadder springs into the air and follows after him. Hiccup shoots an irritable glare over his shoulder. She doesn't have the decency to look embarrassed.

Hiccup rolled his eyes in his head and turned back to the horizon line. Screeching as he put on speed. Still chasing the sunset albeit in a different direction for a different reason.

At the sound of his screech more dragons wheel into the sky and chase the echo of his call.

Tonight, they must go North.

  
  


****

“I don't see why we have to go.” Astrid pointed out to no one in particular as the convoy of spirits representing the Summer Court made their way sullenly across the swath of snow covered ground towards the lake. Astrid hugged herself for warmth. Glaring up at the moon that had not yet reached its zenith.

Hiccup bit his lip against a sound that might be amusement and might be irritation.

Ever so willing to needle him into responsibly when they're on their own territory but put her in any sort of situation where she doesn't have advantage and she snapped to rival a Bear-shifter of Autumn.

He'll forgive her because he knows she's only as nervous as he is. This is her first Gathering too.

“The truce.” Hiccup reminded simply, glancing at Astrid over his shoulder as he pushed a bare branch out of his face. Holding it for the rest of the convoy to pass without hindrance before letting the branch fall back into place.

"Unless you want to go back and explain to my father why you abandoned the rest of us in enemy territory."

That's not what the situation is and they both know it. He only phrased it as such because he knows it's something she'd never do. She has warrior blood too deep in her veins.

The Autumn and Spring Court convoys were already gathered around the banks of the lake. The Northern shoreline remained empty the only spectator from that side of the lake was the wind and snowflakes.

Hiccup couldn't help but roll his eyes. Impatient muttering and other such displays of annoyance were made known as the moon climbed higher in the sky and still not even a snow fairy made itself known. Much less any of the Snow Queen’s court. 

“Who is late to their own ritual?” a faceless voice demanded. Though with some fifty or so nature spirits crowding three-fourths of the lake shore it was impossible to tell who exactly had spoken. Which is good for them. The leaders of each convoy might be as irritable as the rest but they'd still have to keep their own in line. To avoid both fighting and shame on their Court alike.

Mostly the seasonal Courts reserved their interactions between their own people and the Courts of the seasons immediately preceding and following their Season.

Summer only had dealings with Autumn and Spring unless it was one of the four nights a year on solstice and equinoxes when the courts sent out convoys to the lake that marked the place where the borders of the four realms met 

This gathering in particular was of importance because it marked another three centuries passing. 

The Winter was to present its next successor; and unlike the other Courts whom carried the right to rule within their royal bloodline as most mortal kingdoms did nowadays.

The Winter Court was rigid in keeping to the most ancient ways;

A ruler was not Born.

A ruler was Chosen.

By the Moon.

Some of the more impatient spirits had turned back to the trees ready to head back to their homes and take shelter from the lonely bitter wind that blew from the north.

Hiccup was considering turning back himself despite the possible consequences for impolite decorum. Winter and Summer were on wary truce ground at best. Hostility at worse and while he planned to be more agreeable than his father on the occasions of truce. He wasn't going to bother risking freezing to death if absolutely no one could be bothered to show up.

The current Snow Queen melted out of the barren treeline like the snow she was named after. Her people following in her wake. 

Despite her regal bearing she appeared rather frail. The silver circlet on her head inlaid with diamonds and moonstone seemed far too heavy a weight for her to carry in any sense of the word.

Her silver hair shone in the moonlight washing over her already pale skin until she appeared wraith-like. She made her way to the edge of the lake and waded into the water. Up to her knees, her waist, her chest and yet the water made not a sound. Not a ripple. She turned her back on the convoy of Summer spirits; turning instead to face her own Court. Removing the circlet from her head and lifting it so the round moonstone at its center caught the light of its namesake. The beam of silver-blue light seeking out a person on the shore.

There was an echoing flicker within the crowd. A brief bright flash of light and the gathered spirits on the Northern shore parted like a tide. 

Shocked whispers rippled through the crowd when the Moon Blessed spirit reached the edge of the water and waded out to take the Snow Queen's outstretched hand.

The ruler of the Winter Court grasped the other by the wrist...and submerged them underwater.

Stunned Hiccup couldn't help but blink as the water swallowed up the body.

Some of the others seemed equally as shocked. Even more so when the Snow Queen stepped back onto the lakeshore.

The body didn't break the surface.

“She's just going to leave them to drown?” Astrid whispered. Giving voice to Hiccup's own morbid thought. A thought that seemed confirmed further when a skulk of white foxes emerged from the barren tree line and dipped their muzzles into the water. There was the audible crunch and crackling of ice as the lake froze over.

Merida. The future heir to the Autumn Court broke for the group of dryads on the Eastern side of the lake. Hiccup only spotted her in the monochrome of shadows and moonlight because of her red hair. She was held back by her mother who chided in a voice loud enough for it to echo in the wake of the silence that had settled.

“You know you cannot interfere!”

Then silence reigned once more. No one moved. Nothing happened. Hiccup held his breath and waited. 

The figure rose from the lake accompanied by a soft near silent crackling of ice splitting apart. Lifted into the air by a gust of wind. Outlined by the light of the moon as he planted his feet back to the frozen lake.

Hiccup understood the reasons for the shocked whispers now.

This heir was young. Younger than him even. Or at least appeared so in way that immoral such as them marked years. Which was not at all…There was also the matter that they were a male.

In every legend he had heard of The Winter Court from his father and the more ancient spirits. In all living memory. None could recall even a whisper of any but a queen claiming the throne of winter.

The boy made his way toward the shore where the Snow Queen waited. She took his shoulder. Her other hand painting a crescent moon on his forehead in indigo ink.

"I name you Jokul Frost, heir to the throne of the Winter Court, Child of the Moon and Wind."

And then the Snow Queen turned into flakes of white and was carried away by the wind.

The spirit with snow-white hair stood alone at the edge of the lake and Hiccup could see him shrink into himself with the weight of everyone's eyes upon him. Even the own members of his Court were clearly unsure of what to make of him. None came near him. The crowd on the Northern shore closed ranks where moments ago they had parted for him.

Bodies bent and huddled. The whispers becoming loud enough to be heard on the wind even if the individual words were still intangible. The meaning was clear, they spoke to him as though he wasn't there. As if he didn't exist.

Hiccup flinched in sympathy. He knew this all too well, before he had learned to Shift he had endured similar treatment for his own people and Hiccup was reminded once again of how Winter was cold and distant to the other Courts. 

Jokul was not tradition and though he had been Chosen. It was clear he would have to fight for his acceptance in the role as their leader.

Hiccup could see the moment this realization came to the other in the way that the young spirit turned his face up to the moon, head tilted as though he heard a voice...there was a stiff pause. Then his shoulders lowered in disappointment.

The Winter convoy looked at Jokul, or more appropriately through him...to the group of Summer spirits and Hiccup bristled under the smug indifference to loathing with which they regarded him before they turned and faded away into the trees once more.

Jokul turned to face him as the rest of Winter Court had but Hiccup saw no cold indifference in the eyes that scanned his side of the shore as if looking. He saw only apologetic sorrow as though he'd disappointed the others as well by not being what they no doubt had also secretly come to expect.

And that made Hiccup freeze more than any indifference ever could.

Hiccup wanted to reassure the other but with the distance between them and the weight of his own people watching him. All he could do was smile and hope that the other's insecurities wouldn't paint it in a malicious light…

The Winter King smiled back. Eyes gleaming like sunlight off ice even as he jumped and turned away from Hiccup's gaze. Turning to face the tall shadowy spirit that had come out of the dark to place its hands upon his slender shoulders and offered a smile of its own.

Jokul allowed himself to be lead towards the woods. Hiccup saw him turn his head as if to look back but he seemed to think better of it when the shadow at his back leaned to say something in his ear.

Hiccup didn't move until the pair of Winter born were out of sight and he became aware of the impatient shuffling of feet in the dirt beside and behind him.

"Let's go home." He said to no one in particular.

The Summer convoy followed him without a word. Astrid at his shoulder.


End file.
